Sunday, April 7, 2013

Optimizer Pro is a PC maintenance suite that promises to speed up your computer even if you got a brand new one. Basically, it's just another system optimization and clean up application that pushes features and tools which are very often available for free, for instance, removing Windows temporary files, clearing browsing history, etc. All these tasks can be done without buying a third party optimization software. Or you can always find free alternatives that do the same thing, have real depth and offer truly useful advice. It wouldn't even bother me but I got a few emails from my readers asking whether Optimizer Pro is a genuine application or not and how to remove it? One of my readers complained that this application comes up every time he loads up his computer. It then does a quick system scan and finds thousands of items that may slow his computer. But the worse part is that it can't be uninstall through Control Panel.

OK, so I spent a couple of hours testing this application on my test machine and what can I say... Well, it's somewhere between black hat and black hat. Not necessarily misleading or malicious but hardly useful at the same time. I like to keep on top of junk that lingers around my computer but honestly, Optimizer Pro won't improve performance much if at all. I mean it might help a little but it doesn't include tools that you won't find elsewhere. It is largely snake oil laced with the feel good factor for me. And I don't want to be harsh or anything, but honestly, most of the fixes aren't worth paying 30 bucks or more. Another thing that worries me is the way this application is advertised and distributed. It either comes bundled with freeware or using very misleading ads that honestly remind me those that were used by scammers pushing rogue security products. It's sad that such huge ad networks like Yahoo! and AppNexus allow these misleading ads show up on various websites, including very popular ones.

Oh well, such ethical issues are rarely taken seriously, so instead of complaining, let's return to the main question which is how to remove Optimizer Pro from your computer if it doesn't have a proper uninstaller? First of all, go through the list of currently installed applications and make sure it's not there. Order them by date installed and look for Optimizer Pro v3.0 or something similar. If you can't find anything, then it's either listed as a completely different application or it came bundled with software that you installed recently. Removing the culprit will likely remove the offending application as well.

Do you have something to say about dealing with Optimizer Pro? Post your comment or question below. Good luck and be safe online!

1. First of all, download recommended anti-malware software and run a full system scan. It will detect and remove this infection from your computer. You may then follow the manual removal instructions below to remove the leftover traces of this browser hijacker. Hopefully you won't have to do that.

2. Uninstall Optimizer Pro from your computer using the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or Uninstall a program control panel (Windows 7 and Windows 8).

Go to the Start Menu. Select Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs.
If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, select Control Panel → Uninstall a Program.

If you are using Windows 8, simply drag your mouse pointer to the right edge of the screen, select Search from the list and search for "control panel".

Or you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control panel from there.

3. When the Add/Remove Programs or the Uninstall a Program screen is displayed, scroll through the list of currently installed programs and remove Optimizer Pro.

Simply select each application and click Remove. If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, click Uninstall up near the top of that window. When you're done, please close the Control Panel screen.

If you can't remove it through Control Panel, then you will have to remove it manually.

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Hi there, and welcome to my humble web presence. I'm Michael Kaur. Malware squasher, geek, and blogger based in Los Angeles, CA. If you'd like to contact me, the easiest way is through email given below or Google+. Simply add me to your Google Plus circles.

DisclaimerThis blog provides reliable information about the latest computer security threats including spyware, adware, browser hijackers, Trojans and other malicious software. We do NOT host or promote any malware (malicious software). We just want to draw your attention to the latest viruses, infections and other malware-related issues. The mission of this blog is to inform people about already existing and newly discovered security threats and to provide assistance in resolving computer problems caused by malware.